Prepare your home

It is important to prepare your home ahead of a heatwave. We’ve sourced the below from NSW Health’s Beat the heat site.

To prepare your home for a heatwave:

  • Check fridges, freezers, fans and air-conditioners work properly
  • Set air conditioning to cool
  • Stock up on food for your household and pets, and medicines to last up to a week so you don’t have to go out in a heatwave
  • Ensure you have enough drinking water
  • Keep cool packs in the fridge or freezer to help you cool down
  • Fill spray bottles with cool water to spray on your face and body
  • Put together a small emergency kit in case of a power failure – this could include a torch, batteries, candles, matches, a battery-operated radio and a first aid kit
  • Check your home can be ventilated with cross breezes without compromising security
  • Install, update or adapt curtains or blinds:
    • Choose curtains with pale linings in rooms that get a lot of sun to help reflect the heat
    • Avoid dark reflective curtain linings and metal venetian blinds as they absorb heat and may make rooms hotter
  • Consider applying mirror tinted adhesive window film to block infrared heat from entering through your windows
  • Shade your windows in the heat of the day especially windows that face west
  • Consider external awnings or blinds, shutters, shade cloth or other material to prevent sun shining on the window
  • Insulate your house to help it keep cool in summer and warm in winter



 


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